A Winter Of Angels

Chapter One

It was a decent little town, the town of Mayhew. Found just outside of Willow Tree. Mayhew was a smaller town. There was more countryside than there was streetlighs and city signs. There were lights, don't get me wrong, just not many.

It was a humble abode. Not much bigger than any other famous small town. Everyone knew everyone. That could be both a blessing and a curse. Because everyone knew everyone, this meant that rumors were easily spread.

But if the rumor was or felt inaccurate, the town would dismiss it unless it was proven to be true. But if the town was already drawing suspicions, then the rumor would most likely grow like a weed with its roots extending towards the center of the world. The town ate it up.

I could sit here and tell you that I never experienced that, and I would be only halfway lying.

My family lived, for a short time, in the same house as a man who experienced this quite often. His name was Jeph Baylor and he was what I called my magic man. That probably sounds perverted but in the context I used 'magic' and 'man' back then to now with this story, it was completely not perverted.

Let me remind you, Mayhew was a decent town, but every town has its bad apples. And the bad apples often spoil the whole bunch. It is sad but quite true. It pains me to say it but sometimes hurtful things must be said because a soul can only begin to heal once the damage is done and the soul has been given the push to heal.

My name is Thaddeus Duke but most people call me Tad or Tad Duke. I have a story I'd like to tell. A story unlike any other, or at least unlike any other I've known and have been told. This is a story I have been proud to be a part of. It was some of my best days and some of my worst days. But nonetheless it makes for a fantastic tale. It all begins with a shed.

Yeah, that's right....a shed! Ain't that the place where all the good stories start off?

The year was 1953, and my old man was using a toolshed. The time period was at the height of masculinity and universal prejudice. The country was nearly done recovering from The Great Depression, and mothers were stay at home house tenders.

I was around 12 years old at this time if I can recall properly, and I was constantly with my father if I could help it. Not that I hated my mother because I loved her with all of my heart, but I was a man. And what good is one man if that one man can be in the presence of another man. You catch my drift?

Me and my father were constantly working on things like Butch's doghouse, working on my father's car, working on the picnic bench in the backyard and the sort. My father owned a 1948 Studebaker Champion, in case you were wondering. Becaude I'm sure you were.

You might be asking me why I am saying all this and not just getting to the story. And to that I say....to heck with you, this is my story and I can write what I want!

I was just messing around, I have to start my story somewhere, so I'd start with the first day I found out about this man who I later became friends with and had called Jeph Baylor. That day was September 22, 1953.

My father sent me to the shed to grab some paint thinner as we were in need of some. We were fixing up Butch's doghouse. Butch was a golden retriever. He was a good dog. A lovable dog. Everyone I knew simply adored him. I know I did.

Anyways, I went to the shed for the paint thinner but came out without it. Truth was, we didn't have any. So, my father lent me some loose change and sent me on my way to Earl's Hardware Store to pick up Wildur brand Paint Thinner.